CHEF'S SECRETS
Salted Caramel Brownies
This was a signature recipe of mine in the UK. I would often make the brownies for friends and family. The key is to add baking powder to turn the texture from dense and heavy to light and chewy.
Ingredients
1 cup of unsalted butter
½ cup of chocolate – 70% cocoa solids
½ cup of chocolate – 50% cocoa solids
1 ¾ cup of caramel
Just over ¾ cup of superfine sugar
1 tsp flakey sea salt (plus a little extra to sprinkle over the top)
Directions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 23cm square tin with butter and line with parchment paper.
3. Melt the butter in a medium pan then add the chocolate. Once melted remove from the heat.
4. In a bowl, mix ¾ cup of the caramel with 1 tsp of the flakey sea salt.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the remainder of the caramel with the eggs and sugar and beat with an electric hand mixer until there is an even consistency. Whisk in the chocolate and butter mix.
6. In another bowl, add the flour, cocoa, baking powder and ½ tsp salt. Using a strainer, sift the mix into the chocolate batter and beat until smooth.
7. Pour half the brownie batter into the lined tin and even out using a spatula. Spoon half of the salted caramel sauce on to the batter in 5, thick, evenly spaced lines. Add the rest of the brownie batter and again top with the caramel in the same stripy method. Drag a skewer through the caramel, leaving a feathered pattern on top.
8. Scatter more sea salt on the top of the brownie/caramel mix. Bake in the oven for approximately 30 mins.
9. Once cooked through, the brownie mix should be evenly risen with a firm crust on the top.
10. Leaving the mix in the tin, let it cool completely. Once cooled, cut into squares.
WHAT'S COOKING
from the Kitchen of Diane Holleran